Where Do You Fit on the Political Spectrum?

A fairly well considered 10 question political quiz that will take you less than 5 minutes to complete. It will reveal your political leanings in 4 dimensions, not just the standard 2 (left/right).

Give it a try and see what you may learn or confirm about yourself. And if you feel inclined, go to my blog and post a comment to this message.

World's Smallest Political Quiz

--  Michael My Blog: http://myweb-blog.blogspot.com  "Must a government, of necessity, be too strong for the liberties  of its own people, or too weak to maintain its own existence?" Abraham Lincoln  "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." Benjamin Franklin 

Impeachment?

John Dean, former counsel to President Richard Nixon and author of "Worse Than Watergate", a pre 2004 presidential election book about the Bush/Cheney Administration, recently on stage with Senator Barbara Boxer (R, CA) stated that President Bush is the first US President to admit to committing an impeachable offense.

Impeachment of a President is not a judicial process.  It is a political process. As long as the US House of Representatives remains under Republican Party majority rule, there is no chance of impeaching this President. But what would happen if in 2006 the Democrats should gain control of the House of Representatives?

The "common wisdom" is that as a nation we are not ready to face the disruption of another impeachment procedure. I believe that this is either wishful thinking or those that have the most to lose by such a procedure are promoting this "wisdom" in order to forestall the possibility of it actually occurring. What I see is a building momentum on the part of Bush's opponents for just such an action fueled by the latest revelations of the use of the National Security Agency to do domestic spying on potential terrorists without any check or balance.

The following link is to an article that appeared on the blog by the editor of  The Nation magazine, Katrina vanden Heuvel.

The Nation-"The I Word is Gaining Ground"

--  Michael My Blog: http://myweb-blog.blogspot.com  "Must a government, of necessity, be too strong for the liberties of its own people, or too weak to maintain its own existence?" Abraham Lincoln  "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security." Benjamin Franklin 

A Moderate Victory

It couldn't be a bigger win for the Democrats in Congress! When I reported that the "Results Are In" for the winter votes, I was premature and now that I have completed my physical arrangements for the upcoming holidays, I must report with glee that the results of the US House of Representatives actions on the US Senate actions on the first day of winter, turns the tide completely in favor of a more moderate approach to government.

Standing on "principle" (make that read ego, for not having been consulted), Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R, WI), Chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary refused to go along with the compromise that Sen. Frist, Senate Majority Leader, and Pres. Bush finally gave in on for an extension of the Patriot Act rather than have a permanent extension.. The result is that the act got an extension of 5 weeks rather than the 3 months the Senate Democrats were willing to give or the 6 months that Frist/Bush finally agreed to with the Democrats. And... the Senate had to have another meeting in order to accede to Sensenbrenner's wishes.

Five weeks is the second worst of all the solutions; the worst solution being the permanent extension. Nothing can happen in the next five weeks in the Senate Judiciary Committee because that is the period during which the confirmation hearings for the appointment of Samuel Alito to Associate Justice of the Supreme Court are scheduled. Sen. Arlen Specter (R, PA) has become a thorn in the side of the Bush Administration by being the moderate he is.  It must be difficult for him to straddle the line he has had to follow to be a good Republican and still be true to his own beliefs.

A word about that Senate meeting to take up the House change to the Patriot Act extension held at 8:00 P.M. following the House meeting. It consisted of a meeting of 1 Senator, Senator John Warner (R, VA), the senior Republican Senator from the geographically closest state to the US Capital. And all actions necessary and the authorization for the placement into the hands of Sen. John Warner of all future actions that may be necessary to accomplish the passage of legislation dealing with the extension of the Patriot Act, between now and the time the Senate comes back into session, were agreed to by unanimous agreement, the vote, essentially of the one Senator present, Sen. John Warner. Now that's Democracy!

And what of the Budget Reduction act for which the Vice President had to cut short his travels to the east in order to cast the deciding vote in the Senate. Since there were some minor changes made to this act by the Senate to address procedural problems with the inclusion of certain provisions, the House now had to pass the changed act. After months of putting up with less than inspired leadership by Rep. Nancy Pilosi (D, CA), Minority Leader, I was pleased that she stood up for protecting the safety net of the least fortunate in this nation and against a bill that the Democrats in the House had unanimously opposed. She refused to agree to the Speaker's request for a unanimous agreement to the changed proposal and wanted a full debate and vote on the issues. There not being time for that and getting out of Washington early for the holidays, the result was to put off any action on the changed bill until after the new year.

In the intermediate frame, nothing may be gained. It may only a bump in the road and nothing more that political shenanigans. In the short term it is an impediment to one party rule and shows that President Bush has lost the unlimited control he has had for the past 5 years, and that's a good thing. For the long haul it may indicate that there is a chance to return this nation to a more moderate approach to government. Amen!

--  Michael My Blog: http://myweb-blog.blogspot.com  "As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." ~H. L. Mencken 

And the Results are in!

The US Senate acted on all three critical issues I delineated in my Blog earlier today: (See Important Day in History)

The Budget Reconciliation Act was modified slightly, still leaving the most drastic cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, student loan programs and the like. The final vote was 51 yea- 50 nay, with Vice President Cheney casting the tie breaking vote. The bill now has to go back to the House to be voted upon as modified. All 44 Democrats voted against the bill as did the 1 independent Senator and 5 Republican Senators, Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, Gordon Smith of Oregon, Mike DeWine of Ohio and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island. Of them, Chafee, DeWine and Snowe are seeking re-election next year.

The Defense Appropriations Bill was blocked by a filibuster (defeat of vote for cloture-end of debate). The vote was 56 - 44 (a super majority of 60 needed to succeed).3 Republicans voted against cloture and 2 Democrats voted for cloture. The issue was the last minute inclusion in the conference report of the ANWR Drilling provision supported by Republican Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska. It took 11 hours of negotiation and it was finally decided to open up the vote to an amendment to the conference report to remove the ANWR provision. The vote to remove ANWR was 48 yea, 46 nay. With ANWR gone the Defense Appropriations Bill passed 98 - 0.

In the meantime the Patriot Act was undergoing negotiation. The conference report did not include all of the changes to the 16 expiring provisions that both the House and The Senate had previously approved and so it was filibustered by a cloture vote that fell far short of the required 60 votes, 52 - 47, on Friday 12/16. The Democrats offered to extend the existing Patriot Act for 3 months so that there would be time to work out the differences but the Republicans, especially Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist and President Bush, said no way. The eventual compromise solution was to extend the current Patriot Act for 6 months. They now have until 6/30 to work out the details of the changes.The extension was approved by a voice vote.This bill also has to go back to the House for a vote.

All in all it was a pretty good day for democracy. The President's weakened position is evident and is affecting his ability to control congress. One party government may be in decline. As the mid-term elections approach, the more moderate Republicans who are up for reelection are being more reasonable in their voting. Independent thought may be returning to government. It's a good thing.

And the trick that the Republicans have pulled now once too often of holding up until the last minute to include onerous
provisions in must have legislation and then having the House adjourn telling the Senate it's as we have declared or nothing, wont work anymore. The House will now have to reconvene to agree with the just passed Senate modifications.

--  Michael My Blog: http://myweb-blog.blogspot.com  "As democracy is perfected, the office of president represents, more and more closely, the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron." ~H. L. Mencken 

An Important Day In History

Today, December 21, 2005, will be an important day in the history of The United States of America and perhaps the world; for it is the start of winter, one way or another.

What is he talking about? Winter comes every year on or about the 21st of December. That is, the Winter solstice for the northern hemisphere, the point in time when the sun is furthest south in the sky relative to the earth, occurs this year, 2005 CE, today at 1:30 P.M. EST. But that is not the winter I am referring to.

Today is the day that the Congress, more specifically the Senate, of the United States will take a series of actions that will determine if the winter of the George W. Bush Presidency has arrived or if the winter of the United States of America as a world leader and beacon of freedom and justice has taken a major step and pushed us further towards our future demise. Just how serious does the Bush administration take the activities pending for today. Well, Vice President Dick Cheney cut short a trip to South Asia and the Middle East so that he would be present if his vote was needed to break any ties.

My latest blog, posting integrates what I have defined in my previous two postings with today’s pending events to explain just what is at stake for all of us. And it’s free for all to read, without advertising and without any gain for me except perhaps the knowledge that I have attempted to do something for my country and for my future generations (and certainly my ego.)

Imagine defying the free market this way! Whose surveillance lists am I bound to be on? Well I have news for them. I don’t have a cell phone to tap. I have no listed telephone number. But my email address is known along with my living address. There is no sense tracing my emails as these blogs are open to all to read without any alias. I have no terrorist acquaintances that I know of. I am not now nor have I ever been a member of any subversive organization. I have no money to make any contributions to any causes. If they want to sneak and peek to find anything in the 1 room in which I live, I wish they would let me know where they found it because I can never find anything myself.

I hereby declare myself to be a nonviolent patriot! I am a natural born citizen of these United States of America. I have voted in every Presidential election, State Gubernatorial election, and most local elections since I have been of voting age. I have been a member of the woking class most of my adult life and am now retired, primarily on my Social Security Income that I have earned during my working years. I have faithfully paid my taxes in accordance with the applicable tax laws. I have made charitable contributions to help those less fortunate than I. And I am proud to be a Liberal. Look up liberal in Wikipedia to see what that means for me.

So read on at An Important Day in History.

TODAY IN THE SENATE
9:00 a.m.: Convene and resume consideration of the conference report to accompany S. 1932, the Omnibus Deficit Reduction bill.

Probable attempt to pass the Defense Budget Authorization.

Probable reconsideration of cloture and then renewal of the Patriot Act.

All of the above are controversial and in danger of defeat. Since the Senate wants to adjourn until after the new year, failure to pass any of these acts would be considered critical failures by many. The House has left itself open to reconvene on Thursday to take any necessary action to pass legislation that may be necessary to keep the government from shutting down important programs.

Omnibus Deficit Reduction

The Omnibus Deficit Reduction bill contains measures that many have described as draconian cuts to social programs including medicare, medicaid, student loans, education programs, and etc., in order to save approximately 40 billion dollars. Some legislators fear a negative reaction from their constituents in next years congressional election should this measure pass. Others say it doesn’t amount to a cut in spending because the planned tax cuts that are conveniently separated from this bill and are to be voted on next year, closer to the election, will mean a net deficit increase of 70 billion dollars.

The expectation is that there will not be a filibuster of this measure because the Democrats are conserving the filibuster for more important issues. However the vote is likely to be very close and here is where Dick Chaney may be needed to break a tie in order to pass the bill. If it fails it will have to go back to the House to be fixed and the delay will probably mean another emergency continuing resolution to fund the government past the December 31 expiration of the previous continuing resolution passed mid December (12/17/05?)

Agenda: Starve the Beast. Increase the debt so that in the future the Government must get out of providing any social programs. Simultaneously reduce spending on government social programs and provide tax cuts for the wealthy while at the same time provide a cover for the upcoming 2006 election.

Policy: Reduce spending to provide funds to provide disaster relief for the victims of the Katrina hurricane. Get the deficit under control.

Action: FEMA Failure. Failure of government agencies to adequately perform their functions is designed to create a belief that government is incapable of performing social functions. Pointing of fingers, assigning of blame and gnashing of teeth. Yet, 3 months later precious little has been accomplished as compared to what was promised by President Bush in his New Orleans speech on September 15, 2005.

Defense Budget Authorization

This bill came from the House with a few additions that were unexpected. Some are fine and there without much disagreement about them in the Senate although some Republican fiscal conservatives might not be happy. These include additional spending for Katrina relief of 29 billion dollars that is 70% higher than the White House requested and money to combat Avian Flu and subsidize home heating due to the rise in oil prices, etc.

One provision that is causing the Democrats to consider filibustering this bill however is one pushed through by Senator Ted Stevens (R, AK). This is his second attempt to attach a provision to a non germane bill to allow drilling in ANWR, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

The Republicans are using all of the usual name calling like “how can you abandon the troops” and “the tree huggers are depriving us of a needed resource in a time of national emergency” and etc., etc., etc. The Democrats are screaming that the Republicans are breaking the rules of the Senate about not allowing non germane provisions in an authorization bill and they know that if they try to get a ruling on the issue, the Republican parliamentarian will rule against them.

The ability of the Republicans to force this issue will be an indication of just how badly weakened they have been by the fall off of support for the War in Iraq and the lies told to get us into that war for a Bush agenda that may have nothing to do with National Security and the most recent flap over the misuse of the FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) and the National Security Administration (NSA) to perform domestic communications surveillance (spying on US Citizens in the US) without a court order. (More on this in a separate blog posting.) Counterbalancing this weakness may be the gain in support that the administration may be realizing from their PR offensive and the blatant lies that Bush and his minions have been telling. (But again that is a story for that other blog posting.)

The Patriot Act


The Senate has already begun to meet so I will complete this posting later this afternoon. Yes, I missed my deadline!

Bush Approach to Governing

In an email I received from my older and wiser cousin Herb after he read my previous Blog posting, Gang Aft Agley, he made 2 comments that I thought were significant and should be passed around. I have gratuitously added my comments on top of his comments.

Herb first opined, that the “shaadhan's assistant, trained to echo everything the shaadhan says, only more so!” had some applicability here.

I have taken that statement to mean that President Bush’s top level staff could be counted upon to outdo him in supporting his positions to the public.

I am not afraid to show my ignorance here. There may be more meaning to that statement than meets the eye. I have searched the net and asked around, including asking Herb himself, and am still awaiting his answer. Anyone more literate than I may feel free to educate me by replying here.

Surely the Secretaries of State and Defense, The National Security Advisor, The Chairman of the Joint Chief’s of Staffs, and even his estranged Vice President do so as they are sent out to the Sunday talk shows and are interviewed by the news media. In addition, the Republican leaders in congress can be expected to do likewise, at least until just recently. One should not make the mistake that they are hearing any independent opinions from these people unless it is contrary to the “party line.”

A second comment that Herb made in his email to me is as follows:

 What is the point of W agreeing to the McCain
 protocol, when he has no intention of honoring
 it? And an AG who will give him legal "cover".

This really caused me consternation and I entered a state of disequilibrium. Exactly what is going on here? To me this is more than just what some people, considered political experts, refer to as the “Second Term Blues.” And I have concluded that what this could be called is:

The Second or Third Derivatives of the Bush Approach to Governing.

The Bush approach to governing may begin either with a hidden agenda, from which a saleable policy is created in order to accomplish the hidden agenda, or a legitimate Policy under which a possible hidden agenda is buried in the implementation of the policy. First lets look at what the second derivative of the Bush approach to governing looks like when a hidden agenda is the starting point. Then lets look at what the third derivative of the Bush approach to governing looks like when a legitimate policy is the starting point.

STARTING WITH A HIDDEN AGENDA

First we have an “agenda,” usually hidden. The Agenda is what Bush really wants to accomplish; i.e. the neocon concept of US hegemony. It is driven by ideology, not by what is a reasonable, logical, practical approach to solving the problems of our country and our role in the world.

The first derivative of the agenda is a public “policy” to accomplish the agenda, and the lies concocted to sell the policy to the public and the congress while at the same time hiding the true agenda; i.e. the War in Iraq and the WMD argument and the immediate threat to US security.

The second derivative of the agenda is an action contrary to the law and the lies concocted ex post facto to support that action as legal; illegal detentions, illegal spying, and using torture to obtain information in order to win the war in Iraq and justifying it by a whole list of lies and deceptions, and dubious constitutional arguments as a war president.

STARTING WITH A LEGITIMATE POLICY

 •  Policy - Retribution for Trade Tower Attacks /
    Protect Nation Against Future Terror Attacks.
 •  First Derivative - Agenda - Topple Saddam Hussein.
 •  Second Derivative - Policy - War Against Iraq -
    Weapons of Mass Destruction, Linking 9/11 to Iraq.
 •  Third Derivative - Action Contrary to Law - Cooking
    the Intelligence, Lying to nation in State of the
    Union, Lying to congress, Lying to UN and world
    community.

More about how this impacts what is currently happening in congress this week will follow. Note that this week is an important week because a lot of must pass legislation is before the congress with a deadline prior to the holiday recess and the end of year deadlines. The result is a rash of activity and a fury of politics being driven by Bush's lies in support of his agendas that are coming home to roost.

GANG AFT A-GLEY

It was a beautiful setup. Four different speeches in 2 weeks; some before military or right wing think tank audiences and then some before mixed audiences, something he hasn’t done for some time. In these speeches President Bush admits to some problems that are already well documented, like the poor intelligence about the missing weapons of mass destruction, but not about twisting or cherry picking the intelligence. And the fact that things have not gone as well as he would have liked them to have gone. And yes, for these things, as Commander in Chief, he accepts responsibility. He also, for the first time, gives an estimated figure for the number of Iraqis killed, albeit a probable lowball of 30,000. (30,000 is an approximate figure for all Iraqi’s lost, including civilians, since the U.S. invasion. This figure is one that is being maintained by a group that operates a web site: Body Count Web Page) Boy, he is really saying something new and significant here.

On Sunday, December 11, all the kings horses and all the kings men (and women) spread out on the talk shows. Oooh, where is Dick Chaney? Back in his bunker at an undisclosed location after his brief outing didn’t go too well the week before? And this week Jack Murtha is an honorable man! He is just wrong in this case. Nice recovery for the “coward” who was just recently described as part of the crazy Michael More radical left wing fringe element of the defeatist liberal Democratic Party.

Next, President Bush gives three interviews, one each to three different “respected” TV news anchors/journalists; Brian Williams of NBC, Brit Hume of Fox, and Jim Lehrer of PBS. The last time I saw softballs like those being thrown around, I was 14 years old and I was playing in a pick-up game in the Catskill Mountains. Once again it sounds like a new Bush speaking; one who is more available, candid, honest and direct with his constituents. What could possibly follow this?

Bush’s message is that after 9/11 everything changed and Iraq is the center for the war on terrorism. He says it is there that we have to fight the enemy rather than wait for them to attack us and fight them here. He again insinuates the false connection between Iraq and 9/11 in a subtle manner by claiming that al Zaqawi and “the terrorists in Iraq share the ideology of the terrorists who struck the United States on September 11.” ... “If we were not fighting and destroying this enemy in Iraq, they would not be leading quiet lives as good citizens.” He does not mention that before 9/11 and our invasion, Iraq was not in the business of supporting al Qaeda in any form.

He criticizes his critics for running from the fight when it gets tough. He reminds us that his critics voted to authorize the war and then continues to dissemble by saying that they all had access to the same intelligence that he had when they so voted.

The balance of Bush’s message emphasizes that he is a strong and resolute leader who will not back down and that “victory” in Iraq is his goal. He states that a “free and democratic Iraq is vital to our security.” He will not entertain the notion of pulling out of Iraq until Iraq has a stable government and is able to defend itself against insurgents and external enemies. “When Iraqi troops stand up, then we will stand down.” No timetable. Sound familiar?

When the latest polls came out earlier this week, the President’s approval rating among American’s supporting the war had risen 2 percentage points. Not great, but it does stop the slide and the coup de grace was yet to come! The election in Iraq.

Prior to the election all indications were that the election would be able to be presented as a success. It was forecast that the Sunni population would be out voting in great numbers this time. And viola! Record turnout. And in addition, minimum violence. Iraqis celebrate. General Casey talks about reduction of troops. (The reduction of troops after the elections in Iraq were planned well in advance, since before the pre-election military buildup, of about 30,000.)

The setup is complete. Bush has portrayed himself as positive, strong, with a plan in Iraq that is showing signs of working and ready to announce some troop withdrawals. Bush is looking good! It is the morning after the election and as the sun rises in the East (coast of the US) the New York Times reports on page 1:

“Bush Lets U.S. Spy on Callers Without Courts”

“The best laid schemes o’ mice and men
      Gang aft a-gley;
And leave us naught but grief and pain
      For promised joy.”
                      Robert Burns

Pulling defeat from the jaws of victory!

The implications of all of the above? Well, the congress has been considering the reauthorization of the patriot act. There are some 16 provisions that are to expire on 12/31. Among these are those provisions that have been under the most scrutiny for being too intrusive, such as the Sneak and Peek provisions. There was a supposed agreement reached by a joint House Senate committee. However by the time the modifications reached the floor of the Senate, it was not what was expected and the Democrats began to talk filibuster.

The congress is due for a holiday (Christmas for my Christian friends) break. Now the National Security Agency (NSA) spy actions by President Bush have emboldened the Senate to filibuster the bill extension. Four Republicans have joined in with all but two Democrat Senators to filibuster the extension of the bill with the modifications proposed.

Bush spent his Saturday radio address to the nation defending his action in authorizing the NSA domestic spying. In so doing he attacked the press (The New York Times) for breaking the story and damaging national security by doing so, and also attacked the congress for filibustering the Patriot Act, also on national security grounds. He self righteously blamed the congress and the press for weakening our national security while self defining what he did as legal without specifying under which law he was operating that gave him permission to listen in on private conversations without court approval.

Bush announced that tonight, Sunday, December 18, 2005 he will give a prime time TV presentation from the Oval Office. It was supposed to be the cap of a 2 week successful PR campaign where he could announce the troop withdrawal, claiming a great vitory and regaining his forward momentum. Instead it will take place in a negative atmosphere with a cloud hanging over Bush and his agenda. Bush is in a negative position on the Patriot Act, after having already caved in to John McCain and the anti torture amendment.

It appears that the American public now understands that this President would destroy our rights to equal justice under the law and the preservation of our liberties to protect us from the terrorists who are doing just that, destroying our liberties using Bush as their instrument. Our forefathers were willing to pledge their lives and their fortunes and their sacred honor to earn these rights. This President is willing to sacrifice the lives of our volunteer soldiers, the fortune of our country and everyone's sacred honor in destroying those rights.